On January 1, 2026, AppClose ended a decade of free access and switched to $8.99/month per parent — with no grandfathering for existing users. If you are looking for an alternative, here is an honest breakdown of your options and why families are switching to FairSplit.
Start FairSplit Free — No Credit CardAfter more than a decade as the most-downloaded free co-parenting app — with over 1 million Google Play downloads — AppClose switched to a paid subscription on January 1, 2026. The change was not gradual and there was no grandfathering: existing free users who had relied on the app for years were required to pay or lose access.
The new pricing: $8.99 per month per parent. That is $17.98 per month per household — for both parents to have access.
AppClose has since offered free accounts to domestic violence survivors and low-income families through a verified application program — a meaningful gesture that does not change the situation for the majority of displaced users.
If you used AppClose because it was free and reliable, you now have a decision to make. This page is designed to help you make it.
AppClose built genuine trust over a decade. Before evaluating alternatives, it is worth being honest about what it did well — because any alternative worth switching to should match or exceed these.
These gaps are not small. If your main problem is getting paid reliably for shared expenses, AppClose's payment model has always depended on both parents cooperating voluntarily. When they do not, there is no resolution mechanism inside the app.
| Feature | FairSplit | AppClose |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 — free forever | $8.99/mo per parent ($17.98/household) |
| Free tier | Free forever (everything), no credit card | None — removed January 1, 2026 |
| Shared calendar | ✓ Yes | ✓ 15+ templates |
| Secure messaging | ✓ AI-filtered | ✓ Standard |
| Information vault | ✓ Yes (1GB free storage) | ✓ Yes (Document storage) |
| Expense tracking | ✓ Unlimited, free | ✓ Yes |
| In-app payments | ✓ Stripe ACH + card | ✓ ipayou integration |
| Expense escrow | ✓ Funds held until approved | ✗ Payment without neutral hold |
| Dispute resolution | ✓ 3-step structured flow | ✗ Not available |
| Solo Mode | ✓ email links — no app needed | ✓ Requires co-parent download |
| Court-friendly PDF | ✓ Auto-generated, 1-tap | ✓ Available (all paid tiers) |
| No subscription, ever | ✓ $0 forever | ✗ $8.99/mo per parent |
| Records after sub ends | ✓ Always exportable | ✓ Yes |
| DV / low-income program | Income-based free access | ✓ 14,760+ verified free accounts |
When AppClose was free, the per-person pricing model did not matter — both parents were on it for nothing. Now that it costs $8.99/month each, the "why should I pay for an app you chose?" conversation has become real.
FairSplit removes that conversation entirely — it's free for both parents, forever, with no subscription. Neither parent pays anything to use it.
AppClose tracks shared expenses and facilitates payments. But if your co-parent disputes a charge, says the amount is wrong, or simply ignores the request — there is no mechanism inside AppClose to resolve it. The money either moves because both parties agree, or it does not move at all.
FairSplit holds the requested funds in escrow until both parties agree. If your co-parent disputes the charge, our 3-step Dispute Resolution flow handles it inside the app — evidence uploaded, outcome documented. A $200 disagreement does not need to become a $3,000 legal bill.
Both AppClose and FairSplit have Solo Mode. The difference: FairSplit's Solo Mode sends expense requests to your co-parent via email link — they respond in any browser, no app download required. This removes the single biggest barrier to adoption: the co-parent who refuses to download an app their ex chose.
Practical switching time from AppClose to first documented FairSplit expense: under 10 minutes.
Before switching, export your AppClose records — message history and expense log — while you still have access. AppClose allows data export regardless of subscription status.
Create a FairSplit account — takes 90 seconds, no credit card. Every feature is available immediately — free, with no subscription.
Configure how costs are divided — 50/50 or a custom percentage. This applies automatically to every future expense request, so you don't have to recalculate the split each time.
If your co-parent is willing, invite them via email. If not, start Solo Mode — every expense and request is documented and delivered via email link.
Upload the receipt, set the split, submit. Your co-parent receives an email link with the receipt and amount. They approve — money moves via Stripe ACH. Total switching time to first documented expense: under 10 minutes.
We are not the only alternative. Here is an honest overview of the others.
The most court-recognized co-parenting platform in the US — used in custody disputes in all 50 states. More expensive ($25–$50/month per household) but has the strongest institutional track record. If you have a high-conflict case and your attorney recommends it, it is worth the cost.
Does not include expense escrow or in-app dispute resolution.
Focused on court-admissible communication records. Removed its free mobile tier in March 2026. Priced per person — $77/year at lowest tier, up to $353/year for AI features.
Strong on message documentation, lighter on expense management.
The only purpose-built co-parenting app still with a genuine free tier as of 2026. Includes calendar, messaging, and attorney access at no cost.
Does not include expense tracking or payment features. Best for calendar and communication only.
Focused specifically on child support and shared expense tracking. Handles expense documentation well. Priced per person.
Does not include the communication and calendar tools most co-parents also need.
Parents whose primary problem is getting paid for shared expenses — and who want that process documented, structured, and resolved without attorney involvement. Especially useful when the co-parent is difficult, unresponsive, or dispute-prone.
You are in active high-conflict litigation where the court has ordered or strongly suggested a specific platform, and institutional court recognition is the primary requirement.
The fastest way to know if FairSplit works for your situation is to use it. Expense escrow, dispute resolution, court-friendly PDF export, and Solo Mode are all included — free, forever, no subscription.
No credit card required. No automatic charge, ever. If it does not work, your AppClose export is still there.
Start FairSplit Free — No Credit Card Required →Questions? hello@fairsplit.live
AppClose ended its free tier on January 1, 2026, after more than a decade of free access with over 1 million Google Play downloads. The new pricing is $8.99/month per parent. Existing users were not grandfathered — all free accounts were required to convert to paid or lose access. AppClose has since provided free accounts to domestic violence survivors and low-income families through a verified application program.
AppClose charges $8.99/month per parent. For a household where both parents need access, the total cost is $17.98/month — $215.76/year. There is no free tier and no per-pair pricing option.
FairSplit is free for both parents, forever — $0/month, no subscription. AppClose charges $8.99/month per parent, meaning a two-parent household pays $17.98/month ($215.76/year). Switching to FairSplit saves the full $215.76 annually, and includes expense escrow and dispute resolution that AppClose does not offer.
Yes. FairSplit's Solo Mode lets you use the full app without your co-parent joining. The key difference from AppClose: FairSplit sends expense requests to your co-parent via email link — they can view and respond in any browser without downloading anything. AppClose's Solo Mode requires the co-parent to eventually download to fully participate.
AppClose data does not automatically import to FairSplit. Before switching, export your AppClose records — message history and expense log — while you still have access. AppClose allows data export regardless of subscription status. Your historical records remain in your AppClose export. All new expenses and communications from your FairSplit start date forward are documented in FairSplit.
FairSplit generates court-friendly PDFs of all expenses and messages — formatted and timestamped. These are designed to support attorney and court documentation workflows. Many family law attorneys use FairSplit documentation in proceedings. AppClose's court-ready reporting is available at all paid tiers. Confirm specific admissibility requirements with your family law attorney.
Two features AppClose does not offer: expense escrow (funds held until both parties approve, with ACH transfer via Stripe) and in-app dispute resolution (a structured 3-step flow for contested expenses that documents the outcome without requiring attorney involvement). FairSplit is also free for both parents, forever — no subscription, versus AppClose's per-person monthly fee.